It isn’t uncommon for individuals to have ringing in their ears, also known as tinnitus. It’s one of the most common health conditions in the world with some estimates indicating that up to 10 percent of the population experiences it at one time or another. Even though the most common manifestation of tinnitus is a phantom ringing or buzzing in your ear, it can also present as other sounds as well.
Sadly, the causes of tinnitus aren’t as obvious as the symptoms. Some of the wide range of tinnitus causes are temporary, while others can be more long term.
This is why environmental factors can Have a major impact on tinnitus symptoms. If the background sound of your particular environment is very loud, you could be damaging your hearing. This environmental tinnitus might sometimes be permanent or it may sometimes respond to changes to make your environment quieter.
Why do so many individuals experience tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a condition that causes you to hear a noise that isn’t actually there. For most individuals, tinnitus manifests as a buzzing or ringing, but it may possibly also present as thumping, humming, screeching, or other noises as well. The sounds are typically rhythmic in nature. For most people, tinnitus will occur over a short period of time before solving itself and going away. Though not as common, chronic tinnitus is effectively permanent.
Tinnitus is so prevalent for a couple of reasons. The first is that the environmental factors that contribute to tinnitus are also quite common (more on that in a bit). The second reason is that tinnitus is frequently a symptom of an underlying condition or injury. And there are quite a few conditions and injuries that can result in tinnitus. Consequently, tinnitus tends to be very common.
How can the environment affect tinnitus?
Other things can also produce tinnitus, including ototoxic medicines and chemicals. However, when most people talk about “environment” in terms of tinnitus, they actually mean the noise. For example, some neighborhoods are louder than others (traffic noise in some areas can get extraordinarily high). Someone would be in danger of environmental tinnitus, for example, if they worked around loud industrial equipment.
These environmental factors can be exceptionally important when considering your hearing health.
As with hearing loss, noise-related damage can eventually trigger tinnitus symptoms. When tinnitus is due to noise damage, it’s usually chronic and often permanent. Some of the most common noise and environment-related causes of tinnitus include the following:
- Noise in the workplace: Lots of workplaces, including offices, are frequently the source of loud noises. Whether it’s industrial equipment or gabby office neighbors, spending eight hours a day around continuous workplace noise can eventually lead to tinnitus.
- Music: Many individuals will often listen to their music at loud volumes. Tinnitus will frequently be the outcome if you do this regularly.
- Traffic: Traffic in heavily populated areas can be much louder than you may expect it to be. And noise damage can happen at a lower volume than you may expect. Tinnitus and hearing damage can be the result of long commutes in these loud locations.
- Events: If noise is loud enough, even over short intervals, tinnitus can sometimes be the outcome. For instance, going to a concert or using firearms can both result in tinnitus if the volumes get to a high enough level.
Hearing damage can occur at a much lower volume than people usually expect. Consequently, it’s important to wear hearing protection before you think you might need it. Hearing protection can help you avoid tinnitus symptoms from developing in the first place.
What should I do if I’m experiencing tinnitus?
Will tinnitus go away by itself? Perhaps, in some cases. In other situations, your symptoms could be permanent. There’s no way to identify which is which at the beginning. Likewise, just because your tinnitus has gone away for now doesn’t mean that noise damage hasn’t happened, resulting in an increased risk of chronic tinnitus in the future.
One of the most main contributing factors to the advancement of tinnitus is that individuals tend to underestimate the volume at which damage occurs to their ears. If you experience tinnitus, your body is telling you that damage has already likely happened. If this is the situation, identifying and changing the source of the noise damage is crucial to prevent further damage.
Here are some tips you can try:
- Wearing hearing protection (either earplugs or earmuffs) in order to counter damage. Noise canceling headphones can also be a benefit in this regard.
- If you’re in a loud setting, regulate the amount of exposure time and give your ears rests.
- If possible, try to decrease environmental volume. If you have any machinery that’s not in use, turn it off, and shut the windows if it’s noisy outside, for example.
Managing symptoms
The symptoms of tinnitus are frequently a big distraction and are quite uncomfortable for the majority of people who deal with them. This prompts them to attempt to find a way to ease the severity of their symptoms.
You should contact us for an appointment if you are hearing a persistent ringing or buzzing in your ears. We can help you figure out the best way to handle your specific situation. For most cases of chronic tinnitus, there’s no cure. Symptom management might include the following:
- Retraining therapy: You can sometimes retrain your ears with the assistance of a specialist, which will slowly retrain the way you process sound.
- Masking device: This is a device that fits like a hearing aid and plays sounds that mask your symptoms. The exact calibration of your device will depend on your particular symptoms.
- Hearing aid: This can help amplify outside sounds and, as a result, drown out the ringing or buzzing produced by tinnitus.
- Relaxation techniques: Tinnitus symptoms can sometimes be exacerbated by high blood pressure. Your tinnitus symptoms can sometimes be alleviated by utilizing relaxation techniques like meditation, for instance.
- White noise devices: In some cases, you can tune out some of your tinnitus symptoms by using a white noise generator around your house.
There’s no cure for tinnitus. A good first step would be to safeguard your hearing by controlling your environment.
But treating and controlling tinnitus is possible. We’ll be able to establish a specific treatment plan according to your hearing, your tinnitus, and your lifestyle. For some, managing your tinnitus might simply mean using a white noise machine. For other people, management might be more demanding.
Learn how to best control your tinnitus by making an appointment right away!
